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Amid the recent fad for all things cat, handmade works featuring photos of cats have taken the spotlight. Just looking at the felines’ adorable expressions elicits warm, soothing feelings.
Accessory creator Miki Hiraoka specializes in making items using photos of cats, including key rings, earrings and rings. Hiraoka said she started creating such items after she became a cat owner about three years ago.
“At that time there was less merchandise featuring cats than now, and I couldn’t find items I liked,” she said. “So I decided to create them on my own using photos of the cat.”
For beginners, making a charm by using plastic shrink plates — called puraban for short in Japanese — is an easy place to start.
Using a type of plastic that can be printed on by home inkjet printers, beginners can easily print cat images on their own, Hiraoka said. The first step is to enter the data of the cat photo into a personal computer. The key is to choose a photo that clearly shows the cat’s fur and eye color. “You can use a photo of a cat that you used to have,” she said.
Next, use image editing software to delete the background and trim the photo to the cat’s shape.
Print the edited photo onto a shrink plastic plate, and then cut the plate along the cat’s shape with a pair of scissors. Then heat it in a toaster oven.
Heating shrink plastics reduces the size by half or more, and the length of heating can vary depending on the type of oven and the plate size. Keep a close eye on it while it’s in the oven. The process is done when the plate has stopped shrinking.
Remove it from the oven while the plate is still hot, and press it flat by putting it in a book or similar item.
To finish, apply UV resin liquid — which reacts with ultraviolet rays and becomes solid — and expose it to sunlight, which will make it hard. Complete it by attaching metal parts such as a chain.
Decorative arrangements make for more fun possibilities.
Rosette ribbons made of lace and cloth can be a nice accent, for example, when attached to a coat. A key chain made of multiple charms, each featuring a cat face, has a strong presence.
A photo of a cat peeking out can be put on a pin, to be attached to clothing, such as on the collar of a shirt. “It’s perfect for simple clothes. It’s playful, and even men can enjoy it,” Hiraoka said. You can coordinate your outfits with cat items such as earrings and rings.
Another option is to make a cute key chain by printing a cat’s face onto cloth and stuffing it with cotton. A large print of a cat’s face is striking but also has a more gentle aura than plastic plates.
These items are easy enough for even beginners to try their hand at, so you can get a picture from a cat owner and make a nice present for them. Cat lovers will feel like their fluffy companions is always with them.
(The Japan News)
